In one known form, a dynamoelectric machine comprises a generator for use in aircraft. Such a generator may include a main generator, a rotating rectifier bridge assembly, an exciter and a permanent magnet generator (PMG). Each of the main generator, exciter and PMG include a rotor driven via a common shaft. The PMG is a pilot generator used to develop output power which is rectified to provide excitation to an exciter stator winding. The exciter rotor carries a three phase ac armature winding connected through the rotating rectifier assembly to a dc field winding of the main generator to develop three phase output power in a stator armature winding.
A typical rotating bridge rectifier assembly is illustrated in Troscinski U.S. Pat. No. 4,628,219. This rectifier assembly includes a tubular housing receiving a stack of plates sandwiching diode wafers. Because of the sandwiching structure, numerous parts are required and the housing must be of a sufficient length to accommodate these parts. This requirement is in conflict with the need to minimize the size and weight of components in an aircraft. Further, such a device can be difficult to assemble.
One alternative form of a rotating rectifier assembly is illustrated in Hoppe U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,695 which includes two side-by-side conductive blocks, each having three outwardly facing diode receiving surfaces. A diode is positioned on each surface and three phase bars are used to connect aligned diodes for each of the two blocks. A metal housing is shrink fitted using thermograding to hold the structure in assembled relation. As a result this assembly could not be repaired without destroying the housing.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.